[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 193 (Thursday, October 5, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58907-58908]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-16477]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Notice of Safety Advisory 2006-04, Notice No. 2

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of Safety Advisory 2006-04 (Notice No. 2); Tank Cars 
with Stub Sills.

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SUMMARY: On May 1, 2006, FRA issued Safety Advisory 2006-04 
recommending that owners of tank cars equipped with the ACF Industries, 
Incorporated (ACF) 200 stub sill design, inspect and enhance the 
underframes of such tank cars in accordance with ACF's Maintenance 
Bulletin TC-200 (issued in 1994) and by installing the P470 angle 
application head brace. See 71 FR 26604 (May 5, 2006). The Safety 
Advisory indicated that owners should contact ACF for a copy of the 
Maintenance Bulletin and for clarification of procedures and any 
additional information. This Notice announces the availability of a 
revised Maintenance Bulletin and updates the contact information for 
obtaining a copy of the Bulletin.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Albert R. Taber or Thomas A. 
Phemister, Railroad Safety Specialists (Hazardous Materials), Hazardous 
Materials Division, Office of Safety Assurance and Compliance, Federal 
Railroad Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1120 
Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20590-0001 (telephone: (202) 493-
6254 or (202) 493-6050; e-mail: [email protected] or 
[email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    As noted in Safety Advisory 2006-04 issued on May 1, 2006, since 
1990, FRA, in conjunction with Transport Canada, has documented 
approximately eleven known defects on tank cars built with the ACF 200 
stub sill design (ACF-200 tank cars). These defects included tank head 
cracks, pad to tank cracks, sill web cracks, and tank car buckling that 
in some instances led to hazardous materials incidents. In addition, 
the Association of American Railroads (AAR) Stub Sill (SS-3) inspection 
data related to ACF-200 tank cars shows significant percentages of 
longitudinal weld cracks located in the pad to sill area, and parent 
metal cracks in the pad. These cracks present a possible source of the 
loss of tank integrity which could lead to unintended releases of 
hazardous materials from ACF-200 tank cars.
    As detailed in the Safety Advisory issued on May 1, 2006, FRA has 
learned that the safety concerns with the ACF-200 stub sill design are 
fatigue related which could be addressed through periodic inspection 
and modification of the tank cars at certain intervals determined by 
mileage and re-qualification inspection and maintenance dates. 
Specifically, FRA understands that the fatigue-related safety concerns 
with the ACF-200 stub sill design can be eliminated by modifying the 
underframe of the tank car in accordance with ACF's Maintenance 
Bulletin TC-200 (ACF Style 200 Stub Sill Underframe Enhancement, issued 
in May 1994) and installing the P470 angle application head brace (P470 
Angle Application). Once such modifications are made to ACF-200 tank 
cars, the tank cars are transformed into what is known as the ACF-270 
stub sill design. According to ACF, this program of retrofitting ACF-
200 tank cars to the ACF-270 design, began nearly a decade ago and has 
progressed through the fleet, resulting in the majority of the affected 
cars having already been retrofitted to the ACF-270 design.
    As also noted in Safety Advisory 2006-04, FRA is aware that most 
interested parties agree with ACF and FRA that a retrofit program is 
the best course of action. FRA agrees with ACF that the program 
established by the 1994 Maintenance Bulletin TC-200, augmented by the 
P470 Angle Application, is an effective method of addressing the 
fatigue-related safety concerns with ACF-200 tank cars. Accordingly, on 
May 1, 2006, FRA issued Safety Advisory 2006-04 recommending that 
owners of unmodified ACF-200 tank cars bring these cars into conformity 
with Maintenance Bulletin TC-200 and the P470 Angle Application at the 
earliest practicable date. See 71 FR 26604. Subsequent to publication 
of the Safety Advisory, FRA learned that ACF revised Maintenance 
Bulletin TC-200 on May 5, 2006. The revised Maintenance Bulletin,

[[Page 58908]]

TC-200 Revision A, incorporates the P470 Angle Application. This Notice 
No. 2 to Safety Advisory 2006-04 announces the availability of the 
revised Maintenance Bulletin. In addition, this Notice provides updated 
contact information for obtaining a copy of the Maintenance Bulletin 
from ACF.
    Recommended Action: FRA is reiterating below its original 
recommended actions published in Safety Advisory 2006-04, with two 
minor revisions. First, FRA is recommending that ACF-200 tank car 
owners obtain a copy of the revised version of ACF Maintenance Bulletin 
TC-200 (Revision A). Second, FRA has updated the contact information 
for obtaining the revised Bulletin from ACF.
    1. ACF-200 tank car owners should enter into discussions with the 
car builder and decide the best course of action with regard to 
inspection of and modifications to tank cars built with the ACF-200 
stub sill design and not yet retrofitted to the ACF-270 design. Copies 
of the ACF Maintenance Bulletin TC-200 Revision A are available to 
owners of tank cars built with the ACF-200 underframe from--Mr. Dave 
Maechling, Senior Manager Leasing Services, American Railcar Leasing, 
620 North Second Street, St. Charles, MO 63301. 
([email protected]).
    2. ACF-200 tank car owners should modify ACF-200 tank cars to the 
ACF-270 design at the earliest of any of the following events:
     A tank car is due for re-qualification under 49 CFR 
180.509;
     A tank car is recalled under an AAR Maintenance Advisory 
requiring modification in the draft sill area;
     A tank car has been in service for 150,000 miles; or
     A tank car requires general repairs and the repairs 
consume (or are expected to consume) at least 36 hours.
    3. First priority in modifying unretrofitted ACF-200 tank cars to 
the ACF-270 design should go to cars in the general service fleet and, 
then, to the pressure car fleet.
    As noted in the Safety Advisory issued on May 1, 2006, FRA policy 
is that the owner of the car's reporting marks is the owner of the car 
and primarily responsible for maintaining the car in a safe and 
compliant condition. However, for purposes of this Safety Advisory, FRA 
expects cooperation from the entity who controls the usage of the car 
in day to day operations, from the lessee/shipper, and from the title 
holder of the car. Although FRA does not see the need for further 
regulatory or enforcement action at this time, FRA will continue to 
monitor the status of ACF-200 tank cars in the hazardous materials 
industry and will take any necessary regulatory or enforcement action 
to ensure the highest level of safety on the nation's railroads.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on October 2, 2006.
Jo Strang,
Associate Administrator for Safety.
[FR Doc. E6-16477 Filed 10-4-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P